USA > Georgia > The history of Georgia, Volume I > Part 36
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" Capt. Demere and Ensign Gibbon being arrived with the men they had rallied, Lieut. Cadogan with an advanced party of the Regiment, and soon after the whole Regiment, Indians, and
ing their kettles for cooking, when a horse observed some of the party in an- buscade, and, frightened at the uniform of the regulars, began to snort, and gave the alarm. The Spaniards ran to their arms, but were shot down in great num- bers by Oglethorpe's detachment, who continued invisible to the enemy ; and after repeated attempts to form, in which some of their principal officers fell, they fled with the utmost precipitation, leaving their camp equipage on the field, and never halted until they got under cover of the guns of their battery and ships. Gen- eral Oglethorpe had detached Major Hor- ton with a reinforcement, who arrived only in time to join in the pursuit. So complete was the surprise of the enemy that many fled without their arms; others in a rapid retreat discharged their mus- kets over their shoulders at their pursuers ;
and many were killed by the loaded arms which were left on the ground : generally the Spaniards fired so much at random that the trees were pruned by the balls from their muskets. Their loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners was estimated at five hundred. The loss in Ogle- thorpe's detachment was very inconsider- able. From the signal victory obtained over the enemy, and the great slaughter amongst the Spanish troops, the scene of action just described has ever since been denominated the bloody marsh. Ilis- tory of Georgia, vol. i. pp. 185-187. Sa- vannah. 1811. Compare Spalding's " Life of Oglethorpe," Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, vol. i. pp. 281- 284. Savannah. 1840.
1 The Spaniards regarded the loss of this officer as more severe than that of a thousand men.
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
Rangers, I marched down to a causeway over a marsh very near the Spanish Camp over which all were obliged to pass, and thereby stopt those who had been dispersed in the fight in the Savannah from getting to the Spanish Camp.1 Having passed the night there, the Indian scouts in the morning advanced to the Spanish Camp and discovered they were all retired into the ruins of the Fort and were making Intrenchments under shelter of the cannon of the ships. That they guessed them to be above 4,000 men. I thought it imprudent to attack them defended by Cannon with so small a number but marched back to Freder- ica 2 to refresh the soldiers, and sent out Partys of Indians and Rangers to harrass the Enemy. I also ordered into arrest the officers who commanded the Platoons that retired.
" I appointed a General Staff: Lieut. Hugh Mackay and Lieut. Maxwell Aids de Camp, and Lieut. Sutherland Brigade Major.3 On ye 11th of July the Great Galley and two little ones came up the river towards the Town. We fired at them with the few Guns so warmly that they retired, and I followed them with our Boats till they got under the cannon of their ships which lay in the sound.
" Having intelligence from the Spanish Camp that they had lost 4 Captains and upwards of 200 men in the last Action, be- sides a great many killed in the sea-fight, and several killed in the night by the Indians even within or near the camp, and that they had held a Council of War in which there were great di- visions, insomuch that the Forces of Cuba separated from those of Augustine and the Italick Regiment - of Dragoons sep- arated from them both at a distance from the rest near the woods, and that there was a general Terror amongst them, upon which I was resolved to beat up their Quarters in the night and marching down with the largest body of men I could make, I halted within a mile and a half of their camp to form, intending to leave the Troops there till I had well reconitred the Enemy's disposition.
"A French Man who without my knowledge was come down amongst the volunteers fired his Gun and deserted. Our In- dians in vain pursued and could not take him. Upon this, con-
1 In these two engagements the enemy sustained a loss of two captains, one lientenant, two sergeants, two drum- mers, and one hundred and sixty privates killed ; and one captain and nineteen men captured.
2 This was on the 8th of July.
8 During the 9th and 10th of July all hands were employed on the works at Frederica, except the scouts and Indians. These brought in some scalps and pris- oners.
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THE DECOY LETTER.
cluding we were discovered, I divided the Drums in different parts and beat the Grenadiers march for about half an hour, then ceased, and we marched back with silence.
" The next day 1 I prevailed with a Prisoner, and gave him a sum of money to carry a letter privately and deliver it to that French Man who had deserted. This letter was wrote in French as if from a friend of his, telling him he had received the money ; that he should strive to make the Spaniards believe the English were weak. That he should undertake to pilot up their Boats and Galleys and then bring them under the Woods where he knew the Hidden Batterys were; that if he could bring that about, he should have double the reward he had already received. That the French Deserters should have all that had been prom- ised to them. The Spanish Prisoner got into their Camp and was immediately carried before their General Don Manuel de Montiano. He was asked how he escaped and whither he had any letters, but denying his having any, was strictly searched and the letter found, and he upon being pardoned, confessed that he had received money to deliver it to the Frenchman, for the letter was not directed. The Frenchman denied his knowing anything of the contents of the Letter or having received any Money or Correspondence with me, notwithstanding which, a Council of War was held and they deemed the French Man to be a double spy, but General Montiano would not suffer him to be executed, having been imployed by him : however they imbarqued all their Troops,2 and halted under Jekyl : they also confined all
1 July 13th.
2 St. Simon's town was destroyed by the Spaniards prior to their evacuation of the island. To a writer in the London Mag- azine for 1745 (page 549), who made his observations in the early part of 1743, are we indebted for the following notice of this place : " At the South Point of this Isl- and of St. Simon, are the Ruins of the Town of St. Simon's destroyed by the Spaniards at their Invasion. By the re- maining Vestiges it must have been a very uniform Place ; and the Situation is quite charming, tho' it now makes one melancholy to sce such a Desolation in so new a Country. The only Building they left standing was one House which they had consecrated for a Chapel. How dif- ferent the Proceedings of the more gen- crous English even in their Parts who
never leave behind them such direful Re- membrances ; but here religions Fury goes Hand in Hand with Conquest, re- solv'd to ruin whom they can't convert. The Fort has some Remains still, and seems to have been no extraordinary af- fair ; tho' no Place was ever better de- fended, and the Enemies seem, by their Works and Intrenchments to have thought themselves sure of keeping the Town, but found themselves wofully mistaken. Down the Beach to the westward is a Look-out of Tappy-work which is a very good Mark for standing over the Bar into the Harbour ; and on the opposite Point of Jekyl Island is a very remarkable Hammock of Trees much taken notice of by Seamen on the same Account. Some- what lower and more Northerly is the Plantation call'd Gascoign's which under-
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
the French on board and imbarked with such precipitation that they left behind them Cannon, &c., and those dead of their wounds, unburied. The Cuba Squadron stood out to sea to the number of 20 sail : General Montiano with the Augustine Squadron re- turned to Cumberland Sound, having burnt Captain Horton's houses, &c., on Jekyll. I, with our boats, followed him. I dis- covered a great many sail under Fort St. Andrew, of which eight appeared to me plain, but being too strong for me to attack, I sent the Scout Boats back.
"I went 1 with my own Cutter and landed a man on Cumber- land who carried a letter from me to Lieut. Stuart at Fort Will- iam with orders to defend himself to the last extremity.
" Having discovered our Boats & believing we had landed Indians in the night they set sail with great haste, in so much that not having time to imbarque, they killed 40 horses which they had taken there, and burnt the houses. The Galleys and small Craft to the number of fifteen went thro' the inland Water Passages. They attempted to land near Fort William, but were repulsed by the Rangers ; they then attacked it with Cannon and small Arms from the water for three Hours, but the place was so bravely defended by Lieut. Alexander Stuart that they were re- pulsed and ran out to sea where twelve other sail of Spanish ves- sells had lain at anchor without the Barr during the Attack with- out stirring ; but the Galleys being chased out, they hoisted all the sails they could and stood to the Southward. I followed them with the Boats to Fort William, and from thence sent out the Rangers and some Boats who followed them to Saint John's, but they went off rowing and sailing to St. Augustine.
" After the news of their defeat in the Grenadier Savannah arrived at Charles Town, the Men of War and a number of Car- olina People raised in a hurry set out and came off this Barr after the Spaniards had been chased quite out of this Colony, where they dismissed the Carolina vessels, and Capt. Hardy promised in his Letters to cruise off St. Augustine.
went the same Fate with St. Simon's. An Officer's Command is statiou'd at South Point, who disposes his Centries so as to discover Vessels some Leagues at Sca, and upon any such Discovery an Alarm- Gun is fir'd, and an Horseman sent up with Notice to the Head-Quarters which is nine miles from this Place. If they appear to make for the Harbour, a per-
pendicular mounted Gun is fir'd as a Signal, which, by the Ascent of the Smoke is a Direction to a Ship a long Way in the Offing, and is a most lucky Contriv- ance. The road from hence to Frederica is cut through the Woods, and through the Marshes rais'd upon a Causeway." 1 July 16th.
353
OGLETHORPE REQUESTS REINFORCEMENTS.
" We have returned thanks to God for our deliverance, have set all the hands I possibly could to work upon the Fortifications, and have sent to the Northward to raise men ready to form another Battalion against His Majesty's Orders shall arrive for that purpose. I have retained Thompson's ship, have sent for Cannon Shott, &c., for Provisions and all kinds of stores since I expect the Enemy, who (tho' greatly terrified) lost but few men in comparison of their great numbers, as soon as they have re- covered their fright will attack us with more caution and better discipline.
" I hope His Majesty will approve the measures I have taken, and I must entreat Your Grace to lay my humble request before His Majesty that he would be graciously pleased to order Troops, Artillery and other Necessarys sufficient for the defence of this Frontier and the neighboring Provinces, or give such direction as His Majesty shall think proper, and I do not doubt but with a moderate support not only to be able to defend these Provinces, but also to dislodge the Enemy from St. Augustine if I have but the same numbers they had in this expedition." 1
To this interesting narrative we append, without comment, two contemporaneous accounts copied from documents on file in the Public Record office in London, and found among the Shaftes- bury Papers: -
" The following particular Account of the Spaniards invading Georgia was received by Messrs. Skinner & Simson, Merchants in London, from Mr. John Smith, who was then on board the Suc- cess Frigate, Captain William Thomson, dated at Charles Town in South Carolina, the 14th of July last.
" This serves to inform you of my safe arrival in Georgia after a Passage of 10 weeks. We met with no Molestation from the Privateers in our way, nor could make no Prizes, tho' we pursued and brought to several Vessels. Our People were all healthy
1 For further account of this memora- ble defense, sve Harris' Complete Collec- tion of Voyages and Travels, vol. ii. pp. 340, 342. London. 1748 McCall's History of Georgia, vol. i. pp. 176, 190. Savan- nah. 1811. Hewitt's Historical Account of the Rise and Progress of the Colonies uf South Carolina and Georgia, vol. ii. pp. 114, 119. London. 1779. Stevens' Ilis- tory of Georgia, vol. i. pp. 180, 196. New York. 1847. Harris' Memorials of Ogle- thorpe, pp. 250, 268. Boston. 1840.
Wright's Memoir of Oglethorpe, pp. 299, 317. London. 1867. Spalding's " Life of Oglethorpe," Collections of the Georgia Historical Society, vol. i. pp. 275, 284. Savannah. 1840. Ramsay's History of South Carolina, vol. i. pp. 144, 147. Charleston. 1809. London Magazine, vol. xi. pp. 515, 516, 568. Gentle man's Magazine for 1742, vol. xii. pp. 494, 496, 550, 561, 693, 694. Gentleman's Mana. zine for 1743, vol. xiii. pp. 84, 638, 639.
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
'till the last three weeks of our Passage, when a Malignant Fever came amongst them and sweeped away several Soldiers, and the best part of our Ship's Company with our Chief Mate, Carpen- ter, and Boatswain. I was also visited, but got well over it.
" Three days after our arrival in Georgia we were alarmed by several small Vessels being seen off the Harbour which we took to be Spaniards. The General sent his Privateer Schooner to Fort William which lyes to the Southward of our Harbour to help to defend that Place in case of being attacked, and the next day (being the 22nd of June) sent out his own Barge to make dis- covery if the Enemy had landed. They returned in the after- noon with Account that the Enemy with eleven Galleys were in the Sound called Cumberland, about 20 miles to the Southward of St. Simon's, where we lay. Upon which the General put two Companies of Soldiers in three Boats and went along with them himself to the relief of Fort William, so that crossing Cumber- land Sound the Galleys, full of men, bore down upon them. He began the Engagement himself with his own Boats' Crew, and ex- changed several Volleys with one of the Galleys. In the mean time two Galleys engaged one of the General's Boats wherein was 50 Soldiers commanded by one Toulson, who thinking him- self hard set, bore away and left the General with the other two Boats engaged, but they bravely fought their way through with the loss only of one man, and got to Fort William. Toulson got clear and afterwards came to St. Simon's. That night we heard several great Guns fired, and volleys of small arms to the South- ward, so that we got all ready for an attack ; next day heard nothing of the General, which put everybody under great concern. The Day after saw a Sail off the Bar which proved to be the General's Schooner with himself aboard, and a Company of Sol- diers, who brought account of all being well at Fort William, and that they had beat off 9 Galleys which thought to sur- prize them. The General came ashore and was saluted by us with 31 Guns, and by the Fort. He confined Mr. Toulson for leaving him, and sent for Captain Thomson, advised him to send his Goods to Town, and get all ready for defence, for he thought of being attacked at St. Simon's. And soon after we had an Ac- count that there were 32 Sail hoisting Spanish Colours where they lay in the same place for 5 days without making the least at- tempt, but sent out their small Vessels to sound the Bar. July the 4th, they got under sail and came to in the right way off the Channel so that we expected to be attacked next day. The Gen-
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355
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPANISHI FLEET.
eral came on board of us and made a very handsome Speech en- couraging us to stand by our Liberties and Country. For his part he was resolved to stand it out, and would not yield one inch to them tho' they appeared so formidable. He was convinced they were much superior in Numbers, but then he was sure his men were much better, and did not doubt (with the favour of God) but he would get the better. We having but 10 seamen on board, the General sent us 100 Soldiers, and being well provided with warlike Stores, were ready for twice the number of Span- iards. There were several Vessels in the Harbour which we (as Commodore) placed in the following order, viz : -
" The Success, captain Thomson, 20 guns, 100 men, with springs upon our cable.
" The General's Schooner, 14 guns, 80 men, on our starboard bow.
" The St. Philip Sloop, 14 guns, 50 men, on our starboard quarter.
" 8 York Sloops close in Shore with one man on board each in case of being overpowered, to sink or run them on shore.
"July 5th. The Spanish Vessels got all under Sail and stood in. They sent two Quarter Galleys carrying 9 Pounders, and one Half Galley with two 18 Pounders in her bow to begin the At- tack which were warmly received by the Fort, which exchanged several Shot with them. The Wind and Tide both serving, they soon came up with us and fired upon us, which we returned very briskly. They attempted to come up under our stern, upon which I run out two 6 Pounders at the Stern Ports (they being the Guns I commanded) and fired upon her which made them lye upon their Oars, and drive with the Tide. The Admiral came next and was saluted with our whole broad-side, then by the Schooner and Sloop, which made him sheer off from us. In short we received all their Fire and returned the same very briskly, having fired near 300 Shot out of our Ship, they coming on one by one just gave us time to load, so that I believe there was not one Ship but had some Shot in her. They fired at the York Sloops which had run aground. After, they came to anchor and landed a great many men, of which they had great Plenty.
" The General sent us off Thanks for our brave Resistance and ordered his men ashore and us with what other Vessels could go to make the best of their way to Charles Town or anywhere to save the Vessels ; upon which, we gott ourselves in train for
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
going to sea, and cutting our Cable dropped down with the Tide. The Schooner and Prize Sloop followed us, next morning got over the Bar, and said 4 Galleys standing after us, we got all ready for a second engagement, and having sea-room, would have made a market of them, but they did not care to come over the Bar.
" All that night saw several fires, and a sloop blow up, which proved the General destroying all that might be of service to the Enemy, intending to march all his men to Frederica and there hold it out.
" July 7th. Got all into Charles Town. Captain Thomson petitioned the Assembly for assistance to the General, and to have his own Ship manned to go against the Enemy with the Man of War and what other Merchantmen they can fit out, which they have taken into consideration.
" The Flamborough, Man of War, and two Sloops, with a Galley, have been gone from this place a fortnight, and been drove to the Northward by a Gale of Wind. They yesterday came abreast of this place and had account how the General's Affairs stood : upon which they made sail for the Southward.
" I wish our Fleet had been ready to have gone with them, and I dare say we would have catcht them all. Every minute ap- pears an age to me till we can assist our Friends to the South- ward and 'till I have Satisfaction for being left naked: they have got my all amongst them : not having one shirt but as I borrow. I hope next opportunity to write you better news. In the mean time remember me to all our Friends." 1
" On 28th of June 1742 thirty three Spanish Vessels ap- peared off the Bar. The General staid at St Simon's taking all possible measures for the Defence of the Harbour, and opposed them in such a manner that they could not become Masters of the Bar 'till 5th instant when they entered the Harbour in line of Battle ahead. The General's Disposition of the Land Troops prevented the Spaniards from landing. The General's three Vessels, with Capt" Dunbar and a Detachment of the Regiment on board, and Capt" Thomson's Ship, fought stoutly. The Offi- cers and Men in the Merchant Service, as well as those of the Regiment behaved with the greatest courage. After three hours' fight by the Land Batteries as well as the Vessels, the Spanish Fleet broke all through and made for Frederica, but in a very
1 P. R. O. Shaftesbury Papers. The above was published in the Daily Ad- vertiser.
357
DEFENSE OF ST. SIMON'S ISLAND.
Shatter'd condition, which obliged the General immediately to send the Regiment for the defence of that Place, and followed in the rear himself, and before he would leave St Simon's, had all the Cannon, Magazines, &c. burst and destroyed, and sent out such Vessels as were on float to sea, the Harbour having been left open by the Spaniards running up the River. The loss is very considerable, and chiefly owing to the want of Ar- tillery, Engineers, good Gunners, and Ships of Force, - the Offi- cers of the Regiment, Sailors, Indians &c. having done all that men could do for their numbers. The General himself was everywhere but chiefly at the Main Battery and Shipping, Major Heron being with the Regiment on Shore, and Col. Cook at Charles Town, by leave of Absence by reason of sickness, on his way to England. The General is preparing to make the best defence he can in this Place.
"General Oglethorpe being arrived on the 6th of July by day break, without the loss of a man, having brought up all the wounded on his Horses, he dismounted and marched on foot himself and gave his own Horse to me. He immediately gave Orders for the Defence of this Place, sending out Scouts on all sides and, supplying the broken and lost arms &c. ordered all the Companies to be paraded on the afternoon of the same day. The Creek Indians brought in five Spanish Prisoners on the 7th day : On which day about the hour of ten, the Rangers who had been on the Scout came chased in by the Spaniards, giving an account that the Enemy was within a mile of this Place `where they had kill'd one Small. The General leaped on the first Horse and immediately marched the Highland Company, who were then under arms a parading, and ordered sixty from the Guard to follow. He himself galloped with the Indians to the Place which was just within the Woods about a Mile from hence, where he found Captain Sebastian Santio, and Captain Magaleeto with 120 Spanish Troops and forty five Spanish In- dians. Captn Grey with his Chickesaws, Capt. Jones with his Tomohetans, and Tooanahowi with his Creeks, and the General with six Highland Men, who outran the rest, immediately charged them. Cap'n Mageleeto was killed, Capt" Sebastian Santio taken, and the Spaniards entirely defeated. The General took two Spaniards with his own Hands. Capt" Mageleeto shot Toona- howi in his right arm as he rushed upon him. Toonahowi, drawing his Pistol with his left Hand, shot him through the Head. The General pursued the Chace for near a mile, when
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THE HISTORY OF GEORGIA.
halting at an advantageous Piece of Ground, stayed till the Guard came up, and then posting the Highlanders on the right, and the guard upon the left of the Road, - hid in a Wood with a large Savannah or Meadow in their Front over which the Span- iards must pass to come to Frederica, - the General returned and ordered the Regiment, Rangers and Companies of Boatmen to march. Whilst they were preparing, we heard Platoons fir- ing. The General immediately got on Horseback, and riding towards it met three Platoons on the left coming back in great disorder, who gave him an account they had been broke by the Spaniards who were extremely numerous. Notwithstanding which, he rallied them and he himself rode on, and to his great satisfaction found Lieut. Sutherland and the Platoon of the Reg- iment under his command, and Lieut. MacKay with the High- landers had entirely defeated the Spaniards who consisted of two Companies of Grenadiers, making 100 Men and 200 Foot. Don Antonio Barbara, who commanded them, was Prisoner, but was mortally wounded ; they also took several other Grenadiers and the Drum. The General ordered all the Troops to march from Frederica to him. As soon as they arrived he pursued the Enemy four Miles. In the two Actions there were one Captain, one Cor- poral, and sixteen Spaniards taken, and about 150 killed : the rest are dispersed in the Woods, for the General halted all night at a Pass through the Marshes over which they must go in their return to their Camp, and thereby intercepted them. The In- dians are out, hunting after them in the Woods, and every hour bring in Scalps.
" July 8. Before daybreak the General advanced a Party of Indians to the Spanish Camp at St Simon's who found they were all retired into the Ruins of the Fort, under the Cannon of the Men of War. Upon which the General marched back and ar- rived here about Noon. About the same time a Party which the General had drawn from Fort William arrived, notwithstand- ing the Spanish Fleet lyes between us to secure us from that Place.
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